Bill Cottrell, E-RYT500; Teacher Training | Private Classes

Tag Archives: Breath

When I tell my yoga students, “all you have to do is come to class and breathe”, they usually look at me completely bewildered. I mean, why would they come to class just to breath, when they have paid so much money to be in class? They want their money’s worth. They want results.

In today’s world, we are consumed with results. The faster one gets results, the better the product, machine, or teacher we have encountered. In the real world, results aren’t measured with quality of breath. Out here, unfortunately, quantity usually trumps quality.

Whether you practice yoga or not, even spending just a few minutes alone each day with your breath can greatly improve your life.

When we took our first breath, we came into this world bringing so much beautiful potential. Through this breath, life becomes possible. With each inhale and exhale, miraculous events take place. Our body is nourished with the ability to sustain itself, flooding our tissues and organs with life-giving nutrients. At the same time, our breath cleanses our body, removing unwanted toxins and poisons from our system with effortless complexity.

The breath represents new beginnings. When you wake in the morning, let your first conscious breath remind you of the potentiality of the day before you. Take a few moments to connect with the breath before your feet even hit the floor. In this time, remind yourself that your breath will be with you throughout the day to call upon should you need it.

Taking this time to connect with your breath will become easier the more you practice. You may choose to listen to its rhythm, feel it’s depth, or even marvel at its subtleties. You can do it anywhere, anytime throughout your day. Just do all of this without judgement. Let it go. Let these few minutes each day be your time to connect to your breath and the divine presence within you.

In time, it is my hope that as you begin to experience an “openness” in your breath, you will experience an opening in mind and spirit as well. Just a few minutes a day, you can begin to witness change in your life, real change that can’t be found in any self-help book or diet fad. This change requires no purchase, but comes with a guarantee, it offers pure potential for wonderful transformation in your life, all you have to do is “just breathe”.